One of Minnesota’s most popular state parks is getting an upgrade this summer to better serve campers, thanks to state bonds and dedicated funds from the Parks and Trails Legacy Amendment.

Whitewater State Park is located midway between Rochester and Winona. Work began in April on the park’s Cedar Hill Campground. When the project is completed by the end of this year, the campground will feature:

• A new accessible shower building with a solar thermal hot water system, LED lights, and low flow fixtures to reduce energy and water demands.
• Four new accessible vault toilets.
• Additional accessible campsites and longer parking spurs at campsites to accommodate the larger recreational vehicles.
• Upgraded electrical service at campsites in the Upper Cedar loops.
• Improved drainage and stormwater management.
• Tree and shrub plantings to provide more screening and shade.
• A new campground septic system.
• New paved roads, designed with better traffic flow to minimize camper disturbance.

The $3.98 million Cedar Hill campground upgrade is being paid for by the constitutionally dedicated Legacy Fund (55 percent), and state asset preservation bonds (45 percent).

The project is the next step in a comprehensive redesign of the park’s campgrounds to enhance campers’ experiences while eliminating the hazards associated with flash flooding on the Whitewater River. This effort began in 2011 and has included decommissioning of the Gooseberry Glen Campground and establishment of a new Minneiska Campground.

With its shady valleys, dramatic bluffs, miles of hiking trails and excellent trout fishing all within a relatively short drive of the Twin Cities as well as Rochester, the 2,700-acre Whitewater State Park consistently ranks among the top ten most visited Minnesota state parks. To learn more about camping and other recreational opportunities in Minnesota, visit mndnr.gov.